Flying machine



June 25, 1929. J. TETLOW FLYING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 25.1925 A T TORXE Y.

June 25, 1929. J nanow 1,718,391

FLYING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1925 i 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; 0250Mfirflowr A TTORNE Y.

June 25, 1929. TETLOW 16718.39!

FLYING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 3 m 'EXTO-R.

I BY

A TTORXEX Patented June 25, 1929.

UNITED STATES LEWIS J. TETLOW, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLYING MACHINE.

Application filed July 23,

This invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes or flying machinesof the type in which two or more supporting wings or planes are employedwith the usual propeller,

car, and internal combustion engine, in-

stalled therein, for driving the propeller and carrying the operators.

An object of the invention is to provide an aeroplane structure so as toovercome the possibility of the machine falling to earth should thesupporting planes assume an inclined position which prevents the machinefrom righting itself again. It has been found from experience that theplacing of members between the upper and lower supporting planes ininclined positions does not overcome this serious defect in aeroplaneconstruction since they do not accomplish the desired result.

Broadly, one of the objects of my improvements consists in the placingbetween the two planes a plurality of semi-tubular members which areattached to the underside of the upper plane and with their lower edgesresting on supports which permits the members as a whole to yieldupwardly and assume a bowed position. These members are arranged withtheir inner surfaces facing outwards towards the ends of the wings andwith their front and rear edges located in vertical planes whichcorrespond with the front and rear edges of the supporting wings. Thesemembers are preferably formed with perforations throughout their entirearea; the construction and arrangement being such that should themachine as a whole assume an inclined position the semi-tubular memberswill assist in righting the machine and prevent its falling to earth ina sidewise manner.

My improvement further consists in pivotally mounting the two supportingwings on the car, whereby the wings may be automatically returned totheir original position by means of springs which are attached to thelower surface of the lower supporting wing at one of their ends and tothe supporting wheeled truck at their other or lower ends. Two or morepairs of these springs may be employed and of different expansiblestrengths. These springs cooperate with the semi-tubular members toassist in righting or bringing the wings back into their originalhorizontal position thus insuring the safety of the machine.

A further object consists in extending the 1925. Serial No. 45,607.

supporting wheel truck a sufficient distance ahead of or in front of thecar so that in landing the blades of the propeller will not be broken,as is often the case when a machine lands by reason of the ends of theblades striking the ground. The usual steering apparatus for raising andlowering the machine dip'inglflight is employed and for directing it ay.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of the machine as a whole showing thewheeled supporting frame work, the, two supporting wings, the springconnections between the lower wing and the wheel supporting frame workalso the perforated semi-tubular members which are interposed betweenthe upper and lower wings and one of the pivotal supports for thesupporting wings. The dotted lines represent the wings in difierentpositions.

2 is a side elevational View of the machine showing one of theinterposed semi-tubular perforated members between the upper and lowerwing, the ball and socket joint connections between the upper supportingwing and the top of the car, also the springs between the lowersupporting wing and the wheeled supporting truck.

F igu 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the perforatedsemi-tubular stabilizing members, and

Fig. 4 is a view partially in section when considered on the lines 44 ofFig. 1, showing the ball and socket connections between the uppersupporting wing and the top of the car, also the stabilizing springsbetween the lower supporting wing and the-wheeled supporting truck.

Referring to the drawings in detail:

1 designates the car; 2 the propeller which is located at the forwardend of the car; 3 the wheel supporting truck formed of thelongitudinally arranged angular shaped side bars 4cfllld5 and cross bars1 and 5. Rotatably supported by the channel bars are the four supportingwheels 6. Located bet-ween the truck 3 and the lower side of the car arethe ear supporting posts 7 four of which are employed, the shape ofwhich is shown in Fig. 1. The lower ends of these posts are secured tothe angular shaped bars 1 and 5 and their upper ends to the sockets 8.The two supporting wings or planes are indicated at 9 and 10. 11 and 12designate two post members that are secured to the upper surface of thecar 1 as shown in Fig. 1 and their upper ends are formed with sphericalor ball like surfaces or portions 13 and 14. Secured to the wing 9 aresocket members 15 and 16 by means of the washers 17 and the nuts 18.Attached to the upper wing 9 and lower wing 10 are the be extended asindicated at 23. and the other set will be compressed as indicated at22. The recoil of the spring 23 will operate to return the wings totheir normal full'line positions. These inclined positions beingindicated by the dotted lines shown in Fig. 1. Should the wings 9 and 10assume the inclined positions 9 and 10 the set of springs ,will beextended asindicated at 22 and the set of springs 23 will be compressedas indicated at 23 The recoil of the springs 22 assisted by thecompressed springs 23 will automatically return the wings to theoriginal full line positions. When the wings assume these inclinedpositions they will turn on the ball and socket joint connections 13,14, 15, and 16 shown in Fig. 4, as centers.

Referring now to the perforated semi-tubular members 24:, a detachedperspective view of one being shown in Fig. 3. These members are formedwith oppositely disposed openings 25 in their upper and lower edges toreceive the spacing bolts 19 and 20 (see Fig. 2). The lower edge 24' ofthese members rests upon the upper ends of the tubular members 26 whichare loosely mounted on the bolts 19 and 20. Inter-posed between theopposite edges 24 and 27 are the coiled springs 28. These springs arenot under tension. The semi-tubular members 24: are each formed withperforations 29. These members are composed of thin enough material soas to permit them to bend and assume the dotted line positions 24 shownin Fig. 1. The spiral springs 28 will then be compressed. This operationoccurs when the wings assume the inclined dotted line positions,sometimes termed side skidding and spinning. The perforations thenpermit the pocketed air under compression in these members to escapetherethrough.

The passing of the air through these perforations operates to preventthe machine from falling sidewise or side skidding and spinning. At thesame time the compressed air in the curved members 24: serve to rerightthe machine or bring it back again to an even keel which operationisassisted by the two sets of springs 22 and 23 one set of which isextended and the other set of which is under compression, as thewings'turn about the ball and socket joint connections 13, 14:, 15, and16.

Another important feature of the present invention is that thesemi-tubular members 2%, as shown, in Fig. 1 extend only about onehalfof the distance between the wings 9 and 10 whereby the air will havefree access below the lower edges 24: and the upper surface of the lowerwing 10. This arrangement of the members 2% does not therefore impedethe progress of the machine through the air. Again, the curved members 21 having their axis arranged parallel with the car 1 does not impede themovement of the machine. W here the machine is directed in a curveddirection the members 24L will assist in making the machine follow thecourse intended. The outer curved surfaces 24 of the members 24L willpermit the air to pass freely through the space between the upper andlower wings either when the machine is righting itself or moving on astraight or curved course.

The wheeled supporting frame 3 extends forward beyond the end of the car1 a suliicient distance to prevent the blades of the propeller 2 fromstriking the ground when landing is made. This extension of the wheeledsupporting frame is clearly indicated in Fig. 2 wherein is shown thepart 3 with the forward set of wheels attached thereto.

At the present time it is usual to provide only a single pair ofsupporting wheels at the forward part of the car with the result that inmaking a landingthe propeller blades are broken by striking the ground.

The supporting planes or wings are firmly trussed as shown in Fig. 4 bymeans of the pieces 30, 31. and 32. The rear part of the car issupported by the brace 33. The usual steering vanes are indicated at 31, 35, and 36.

An important feature of my improvement is that the perforatedsemi-tubular members 24: serve the purpose of eEect-ually permittingside skidding and spinning which is a very dangerous position for themachine to assume. The members 2 1 will pocket the air to a certainextent and thus prevent the machine from assuming this position.

What I claim is:

1. A flying machine having in combination, a wheeled supporting truck, acar body rigidly supported on the truck, supporting wings pivotallyattached to the'car body, springs interposed between the said truck and'the wings for maintaining the wings in their normal positions butpermitting them to oscillate or tilt relative to the horizontal planeand semi-cylindrical members between the wings to prevent side motion.

2. In a flying machine, in combination, a car body, truck means forsupporting the car body, a plurality of wings for support-' ing themachine during flight, means interposed between the Wings for preventinga downward side motion of the machine consisting of resiliently mountedsemi-tubular members.

3. In a flying machine. in combination, a car body, truck means forsupporting the car body, a plurality of wings for supporting the machineduring flight, means interposed between the wings for preventing adownward side motion of the machine consisting of resiliently mountedsemi-tubular members, with the inside surfaces of the said membersfacing towards the ends of the wings' 4. In a flying machine, incombination, a car body, truck means for supporting the car body, aplurality of wings for support ing the machine during flight, meansinterposed between the wings for preventing a downward side motion ofthe machine consisting of resiliently mounted semitubular members, withthe inside surfaces of the said members facing towards the ends of thewings, said members being formed with perforations for providing asurface to retard the flow of air along their surfaces.

5. In a flying machine, a pair of supporting wings, means attached tothe wings to prevent side skidding of the machine consisting of curvedshaped members with springs interposed between the edges of the saidmembers.

6. In a flying machine, a pair of supporting wings, means attached tothe wings to prevent side skidding of the machine consisting ofperforated curved shaped members.

7. In a flying machine, in combination, a wheeled supporting truck, acar body attached thereto, a pair of wings pivotally attached to the carbody, wing righting means between the said truck and the wings formaintaining them in a normal position and for restoring the wings shouldthey move about their pivotal attachment, means attached to the wingsfor assisting said wing righting means and to prevent side skidding ofthe machine.

8. In a flying machine, in combination, a pair of supporting wings,means for connecting the wings together, means for pivotally supportingthe wings on the car body, stabilizing devices interposed between thewings comprising a plurality of bendable semi-tubular members havingtheir upper edge located below the lower surface of the upper wing andtheir lower edge spaced from the upper surface of the lower Wing topermit the air to readily pass below the said devices, a coil springlocated between the opposite edges of said devices and said devicesbeing formed with perforations to permit the air to pass partiallythrough the openings and along the inner curved surfaces of saiddevices.

LEWIS J. TETLOW.

